Network Map Does Not Display Computers Running Windows XP

Updated: July 9, 2009

Applies To: Windows Vista

When you run Network Map in Windows Vista®, computers that are running Windows® XP do not appear on the completed diagram.

Cause

Network Map in Windows Vista diagrams the connections between network devices to help you troubleshoot connectivity problems. Network Map uses a discovery protocol called Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) in order to query the other devices on the network to determine how the network is organized. Computers that are running Windows Vista include the software components that implement the LLTD protocol. For network computers that are running Windows XP to appear on the map, they must have a discovery protocol enabled that can respond to the mapping computer's requests.

Solution on Windows XP

For computers running Windows XP to appear on the Network Map diagram, you must download and install the LLTD Responder component. By installing the LLTD Responder, and enabling File and Printer Sharing in Windows Firewall, a computer running Windows XP can respond to other Windows Vista computers on the network that are attempting to create a network map.

The following procedures are performed on a computer running Windows XP.

Ensure that File and Printer Sharing is excluded from Windows Firewall on the computer running Windows Vista.

Consider excluding other services from Windows Firewall on the computer running Windows Vista.

Additional Resources

Group Policy settings supported in Windows Vista® and Windows Server® 2008 enable an administrator to enable or disable Network Map components in any network type: public, private, and domain. By default, the components run on private networks, but do not run on a domain or public network.

For more detailed information about using Group Policy to configure the Network Map, see the following topics in the Network and Sharing Center Operations Guide: